For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
By goodwillhunter Tue May 18, 2021 4:24 am
Here's my current set-up:
2x Technics 1200 turntables
Rane 72 mixer
MPC Live II production center
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 audio interface
2x Rokit Monitors
MacBook Pro (2019)
Ableton 10 as DAW

I'm in need of some assistance w/ optimizing this set-up. I want to be able to sample from turntables, thru Rane, into MPC. I'd also like to be able to play back tracks from the MPC while doing cuts from the tables/mixer. This seems like it would be pretty easy, but I've tried a bunch of different configurations. Either I can't get the sample recording at a decent level, there's a hum, or the MPC plays too faint thru the monitors.

Both MPC and DJ set-up sound fine when I plug them into inputs 1 & 2 (front of interface), but I get no sound from whichever is plugged into inputs 3 & 4.

I'm probably missing something fairly obvious, but can't figure it out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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By NearTao Tue May 18, 2021 10:08 am
Your description is not very good. Take a picture or draw one because I don’t know which outputs are going to which inputs based on above.

It sounds like a mix of issues between phono levels to line levels, ground hum issues, and possibly bad cables though.
By goodwillhunter Thu May 20, 2021 3:25 am
I can't figure out how to get the image to post, so I'll describe it as best as I can...

2x Technics 1200 turntables
Rane 72 mixer
MPC Live II production center
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 audio interface
2x Rokit Monitors
MacBook Pro (2019)
Ableton 10 as DAW

My regular DJ set-up (which works just fine):
* 2x Technics 1200 turntables via RCA and grounded into Rane 72 Mixer Deck 1/Deck 2 PH/CD (set to PH, as I typically use vinyl)
* Session I/O Out from Rane via RCA to Inputs 1 & 2 on front of Scarlett 4i4 (using 1/4" adapters). Also works by using L/R Booth from Rane to Scarlett via TRS cables.
* L/R Monitors plugged into Outputs 1 & 2 on back of Scarlett via TRS
* USB from Scarlett to MBP for recording via Serato/Ableton/MPC DAWs

When I try to incorporate the MPC Live II, things fall apart...

Problem #1:
MPC Live II production center main output into Scarlett inputs 3 & 4 via TRS results in no sound. If I switch to inputs 1 & 2 of the Scarlett, the MPC sound is fine, but I lose the audio from my turntables/mixer. I can't seem to figure out how to simultaneously get audio from both MPC and turntables/mixer.

Problem #2:
Finding the best option to obtain audio from turntables/mixer into MPC. I've tried different configurations (RCA and TRS into MPC), but nothing seems to get me a decent recording level. I've tried switching from Session to Booth, adjusting volume via mixer, gain, Rec level on MPC, etc. I've also tried to use the Aux on decks 1 & 2, but that doesn't seem to work either, even if I switch from phono to line.

I was hoping that the Scarlett interface would suffice, and I can't figure out why it wouldn't... Hopefully I'm just missing something obvious.

Thanks for your help! Sorry I can't figure out how to successfully add pics.